Any rules of thumb with respect to changing the key of a repeated chorus? Melody intervals the same, although adjusted to scale of the new root chord.
I suppose the easy way out would be to open band-in-a-box and mess around and find out, but that would be too easy an answer.

Howdy Ed....

Well....I'd say no hard & fast rules.
I have key changes in many of my songs which I enjoy employing.

But...you could also just take the song up 1/2 step at that last verse to achieve a musical change, so to speak, which may work also.
Just a thought.

As an example of how it would sound here's a link to a play-along copy tune (rather than an original) I recorded many months ago.
On the last verse she (Randy Crawford) goes up 1/2 step (Cm - C#m):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnUlZIKArRE&ab_channel=chulaivet

Hope that helps a bit....

Thank you for that, chulaivet. That's exactly what I am looking for, and with a demo, no less! If I'm hearing that right (no assurances there) the change to C#m comes at close to 02:40 in the video. The major and minor 1-4-5 are something we take for granted because they are used so often. Indeed, the changes signal variations in mood or intensity, especially when returning to the familar root.
Around 00:56:00 when she says, "And I've got a feeling that I've seen the last of you..." (The city or the man?) the key change suggests "Let me share something personal with you, listener.." supporting the lyric in the process, as it goes from that sing/song verse into a more heartfelt chorus. That change at 02:40 lmerits a two bar intro of its own. At that point, the emotional climate changes dramatically, as if the ship is about to sail.
Enough of my ramblings.
I wouldn't have expected a half-step change; so, I'm glad I asked. Thanks for the kind assistance on that matter. We'll call that the root#. Semper Fi.

You're welcome.
Glad I offered a possibly worthy suggestion.

Well...that's open to anyone's personal interpretation.
Whether it's the location or here lover?...it could be both or either/or from my perspective.

A 1/2 step up may not sound like much of an "emotional climate change"....until you actually "employ" it.

(yep...Always Faithful)

Whether it's the location or her lover?...it could be both or either/or from my perspective.

I'm quite sure the ambiguity was intentional. There's probably a name for it. I'm eager to boot up the BAIB and get to experimenting with 1/2 key changes

Hope it works out according to your intentions.

Back to it....

Sure thing, chulaivet. Thanks for getting me on the track.
Have a great Christmas!